Venezuela sliding into anarchy

[Onkel Neal]

For the sake of discussing the topic. We have plenty of joke threads.

[eddie]

I can't imagine what its like for the people there just trying to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. Whole thing is sad.

[Aktungbby]

IT's getting worse! as the 'Iron Maiden of Hunger' rears her ugly head:

"Lately, food is a better business than drugs," said retired Gen. Cliver Alcala, who helped oversee border security.

...the military is making money from it, an Associated Press investigation shows. That’s what grocer Jose Campos found when he ran out of pantry staples this year. In the middle of the night, he would travel to an illegal market run by the military to buy pallets of corn flour — at 100 times the government-set price.
“The military would be watching over whole bags of money,” Campos said. “They always had what I needed.”
With much of the country on the verge of starvation and billions of dollars at stake, food trafficking has become one of the biggest businesses in Venezuela, the AP found. And from generals to foot soldiers, the military is at the heart of the graft, according to documents and interviews with more than 60 officials, business owners and workers, including five former generals.
As a result, food is not reaching those who most need it.

http://www.dailyjournal.net/2016/12/28/lt-venezuela-undone-profiting-from-hunger/

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by eddie

I can't imagine what its like for the people there just trying to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. Whole thing is sad.

Travelling to the country of "21st Century Socialism*"? Be warned.

Venezuela has one of the world's highest crime rates, including one of the highest homicide rates. Violent crime - including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking - is endemic throughout the country. Armed robberies and street crime take place throughout Caracas and other cities, including in areas frequented by tourists. Heavily armed criminals are known to use grenades and assault rifles to commit crimes at banks, shopping malls, public transportation stations, and universities. Criminals may take advantage of power outages to target victims when lights and security alarms are nonfunctional. Drug traffickers and illegal armed groups are active in the Colombian border states of Zulia, Tachira, and Apure.

The political and security situation in Venezuela is unpredictable and can change quickly. Political rallies and demonstrations occur with little notice, and are expected to occur with greater frequency in the coming months in Caracas and throughout the country. Long lines to purchase basic goods are a common occurrence throughout the country and there have been reports of unrest and violence while customers wait, sometimes resulting in looted stores and blocked streets. These incidents elicit a strong police and security force response that can include the use of violence against participants; several deaths have been reported during such protests. Due to shortages of some food and medical supplies, U.S. citizens should be prepared to cover their own needs while in country. In the event that the security climate worsens, U.S. citizens should be responsible for arranging their own travel out of Venezuela.

* The term ‘21st century socialism’ was coined by Mexican sociologist Heinz Dieterich Steffan, who served as an adviser to Chavez for several years but fell out with him in 2011. It conveys the idea that Venezuela is pioneering a new and exciting ‘socialism’ for the new century, based on grassroots participation, in contrast to the stodgy bureaucratic ‘socialism’ (what we call state capitalism) of the 20th century.

[eddie]

I'm glad I don't have any interest in going down there. Just wish the people could get the basics they need to survive without getting killed over it.

[Platapus]

Governments cause problems but always seem to be the last affected by their actions.

It is the people that suffer.

[Rockstar]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

“The Chavistas had good intentions. At first, they helped the poor more than any government had ever done before” said the taxi driver Lopez. “The problem is, good intentions are not enough.”

That sums it up quite well and certainly is applicable in many other political projects.

Excerpt comes from The Guardian's article "Venezuela on the brink: a journey through a country in crisis" (published on Tuesday 11 October 2016) which paints rather bleak picture of situation. Currently it looks like the rollercoaster down the rabbit hole keeps going with no happy ending in sight.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Governments cause problems but always seem to be the last affected by their actions.

It is the people that suffer.

Its the people electing politicians and bringing governments into power, and staying loyal, obedient, servile. So all too often the people suffer from the government what they deserve - except those who never supported the government and never legitimated it.

You are not only free to vote during an election, in the West at least. You are also to be held accountable for your vote. This is often opportunistically ignored.

You get what you vote for. You harvest as you have sown. You get shot with the crows you have choosen to fly with. No right to complain.

[Onkel Neal]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...228-story.html


This is why is doesn't hurt to be a little bit of a prepper. I mean, if you had a few months supply of canned food, at least you wouldn't have to scrounge or wait all day in lines to avoid starvation.

[Bigblock-Fempower 427]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Its the people electing politicians and bringing governments into power, and staying loyal, obedient, servile. So all too often the people suffer from the government what they deserve - except those who never supported the government and never legitimated it.

You are not only free to vote during an election, in the West at least. You are also to be held accountable for your vote. This is often opportunistically ignored.

You get what you vote for. You harvest as you have sown. You get shot with the crows you have choosen to fly with. No right to complain.

Oh yes, I guess we touched upon this issue years ago, and I have discussed the same with friends here, although in the beginning some balk temporarily due to the simplicity of the idea...

'Every drop of rain feel it is not responsible for the flood'

A quote I saw on the net once.

Liability(yes really) of actions, liability of choices, liability in voting. Cause and effect.

As previously mentioned, in any multiparty free democratically principled society, there is a direct trace and track of responsibility from the very voting booths right up to the current politics applied. No politician has gravitated upwards to power positions without voters cooperation and support...

True power is not an issue of quality, it is an issue of quantity.

Politicians are thrusted upwards by the critical mass of action known as public opinion. The so called majority. Majority rules, and they rule over politicians as well. Politicians yield to power, like any other rational organism. Apply enough pressure on anything that lives, and it will yield in the opposite direction, if the force is applied generously. Just look at how politicians change opinions in certain matters as public pressure increase. The option or alternative in not yielding is unthinkable for them, translated practically as removal from power.

It is that easy, the majority choose it's own destiny, sign it, and receive it. That simple. And there is no refund if the choices are grave enough. History provides loads of lessons.